Evansville, AK

Evansville is an Alaska CDP on the Koyukuk River beside Bettles Field, near the confluence with the John River. The FAA built the airfield in 1948, and families who moved from Alatna settled at its east end, creating the village now known as Evansville. The community's history includes Koyukon Athabascan and Iñupiat connections to the river region, while its present economy centers on tourism, government, and air transportation. For most of the year, Evansville is reached by air; a 30-mile winter trail connects Bettles and Evansville to the Dalton Highway when conditions permit. The same river-and-airfield corridor serves as a gateway to Gates of the Arctic National Park.